Migrant groups demand probe into seasonal worker's heatstroke death in South Korea

Migrant labor rights organizations gathered outside the Blue House in Seoul, demanding a thorough investigation into the death of a Laotian seasonal worker in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province. The worker, identified as Mr. K, 38, died from heatstroke after working in extreme heat.

Mr. K arrived in South Korea on July 5 as part of the seasonal worker program and began working the next day. On July 7, he complained of difficulties due to the heat while planting sweet potatoes. He disappeared shortly after and was found dead the following day in a bush approximately 200 meters from the work site. The temperature in Yeoju reached 36.7 degrees Celsius that day.

Activists highlighted the lack of basic safety measures at the worksite, such as shaded areas or rest facilities. They questioned why work continued despite a severe heatwave warning and called for transparency regarding the deceased worker's condition and the employer's actions. Concerns were also raised about the involvement of the dispatch agency in managing the seasonal workers' employment, labor, wages, housing, and safety.

The organizations criticized the current seasonal worker program for prioritizing filling labor shortages over protecting workers. They urged the government and local authorities to take responsibility throughout the entire process, from recruitment and dispatch to labor conditions, wages, housing, safety, and repatriation. The groups submitted a petition to the Blue House demanding a full investigation, punishment for those responsible, an inquiry into potential broker involvement and illegal dispatch, and a comprehensive reform of the seasonal worker system.